Letter to American Muslims from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

I came to Cuba to attend the 4th fourth International Seminar for Peace and the Abolition of Foreign Military Bases and to advocate for the closure of Guantanamo Bay. This call comes almost 14 years after the prison was opened, after Obama repeatedly stated his intention to close it, and while 107 prisoners still languish behind bars. The letter below is one I wrote in response to the absence of American Muslim voices in the movement to close Guantanamo Bay, while occupying a camp site close to the gates of the U.S. Naval Base that houses this notorious prison.

[dropcap size=big]A[/dropcap]ssalamu Alaikum Dear American Muslim Community,I write this message to you from Guantanamo City, Cuba, less than 15 miles away from the U.S. Naval Base on which the infamous prison that tortures our brothers sits. I write this message to you after traveling for 36 hours to get here at the top of a mountain with little communication with the outside world. I write this to you after taking several taxis, planes, and buses just to be in close proximity to our Muslim brothers whose innocent lives have been destroyed. I write to you now because the distance I traveled, constitutes nothing in comparison to the pain and suffering that our brothers in Guantanamo have experienced.

I write this message to you now, because Guantanamo Bay prison exists as the epitome of the world’s evil and the lengths to which the U.S. will go to destroy the spirit of our faith and the faith of our people. I write this message to you now, because it is impossible to capture the beauty of Cuba and the culture in Guantanamo City without simultaneously hearing the cries and screams of our brothers close by.

I write to you now because it is in being here that the privileging of state rights over human rights has become so clear. I write to you now because it is in being here that I realize that our Muslim bodies are collateral damage at the nexus of imperialism and anti-Muslim bigotry. I write to you now because all I have is the power of the pen.

I write this to you now, because, I can’t not write it to you now. I write to you now because I can’t stay silent sitting so close to the gates of Guantanamo Bay prison. I write this to you now because I am traveling with 13 amazing individuals; only one of whom is shares my faith. I write this to you now because I mourn the fact that I have to write because I cannot see you here. I write this to you now because I can’t return to the United States and face the fact that the American Muslim community will stay silent when our Muslim brothers have no voice in the gates of hell. I write this to you now desperately hoping that something will change. That when I come back, I will see that we value our lives as much as our lives have been devalued.

I write this to you now, because I know somewhere deep down that we value our humanity as much as the humanity of others. I write this to you now because it is time for us to stop begging and start demanding. I write this to you now, because I hope you will listen.

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Your sister in Islam,

Dr. Maha Hilal, writing from Guantanamo City, Cuba

Dr. Maha Hilal is the Executive Director of the National Coalition to Protect Civil Freedoms, an organization dedicated to addressing civil and human rights abuses related to preemptive prosecutions and thoughts crimes in the War on Terror. She is also an Islamophobia consultant for the Team Baluchi Defense Team of the Office of the Chief of Defense, where she supports research on disparities in the legal system that Muslims face, such as selective prosecutions. Lastly, Maha is currently a Career Development Officer with the Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition where she helps survivors obtain meaningful employment. Maha earned her doctorate last May from the Department of Justice, Law and Society at American University in Washington, D.C. The title of her dissertation is “Too damn Muslim to be trusted”: The War on Terror and the Muslim American response. She received her Master’s Degree in Counseling and her Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She has worked at a number of human rights/social justice organizations including the Center for Victims of Torture, the National Religious Campaign Against Torture, and the Government Accountability Project. Maha was previously a Christine Mirzayan Fellow at the National Academy of Sciences as well as a recipient of the Department of State’s Critical Language Scholarship for Arabic study in Morocco.

38 responses to “Letter to American Muslims from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba”

Ok the lets apply sharia to them in which case they will all be executed. Lets not feign shame here when Islam kills and cuts off peoples heads and sacrifices Christians. These prisoners are entitled to justice but it depends whose justice doesn’t it.

@Kent Bayley: That’s a disgusting, un-American sentiment, and I doubt you’d have the gall to say that out loud. It’s easy to be vulgar and rude in the safety of your living room. Regardless of your COMPLETE and UTTER misconceptions about Islam and Sharia, America has long held itself to be a bastion of liberty. We are supposed to treat people according to the laws and traditions of this nation. “Islam” doesn’t kill or cut off heads. EXTREMISTS kill and cut off heads. Propaganda and nasty rhetoric like yours is why we’re having these problems. Extremists come in every color and creed. Educate yourself and stop being a mindless slave to western media. These men have a right to a fair and speedy trial, then they should either be incarcerated or released. Languishing in this strange limbo is simply not right.

Kent, I’m a Muslim, and I’m a former US Marine infantryman. I fought extremism and I defend the rights of all people to practice whatever religion they choose. Further, I pray to the one true God, the God of Abraham, just like the Christians and the Jews. Again, educate yourself. Learn what “context” means and don’t be so small minded.

How can you argue that the Guantanamo inmates are innocents? They are the worst of the worst. How can you even argue that islam is innocent of criticism when our prophet himself credits terrorism for the early successes of islam? How can it be islamophobia to criticize and be wary of devout followers of sharia when sharia advocates such horrible behavior?

The title of her book “too damned muslim to be trusted” is a very apt statement. The fact is for most of us in the west we see that as an inescapable fact. The belief for the vast majority of kufars is sadly that Muslims are first and last Muslims and that the nations they live in are places of convenience for them to live. Their loyalty will always be to the ummah. I am sorry that is not how westerners see their countries. Many of those Guantanamo inmates that have been released have gone back to being terrorists and as for the screaming and crying of the inmates I wonder how it compares to the sounds that erupted in Paris 2 weeks ago

There is a day called “Day of Judgment” whenever everthing that happened will be recounted and justice will be meted out to everyone.
Indeed. God is all seeing and hearing and knows between the Oppressor and the Oppressed.

The people detained in this prison are not their because they were out selling cup cakes to raise money to help poor people.

They were actively participating in the types things that ISIS does. The writer of this article needs to be seriously looked at, as what he has posted, is attempting to whitewash some pretty evil people. We are told the vast majority of Muslims are against terrorism, however the writer of this article seem to claim, to be speaking on behalf of the majority of Muslims.

The sad thing is the vast majority of potential victims of these peoples, would be Muslims. Just like the vast majority of all victims of Muslim terrorists, are Muslims. I question the sanity of the editors of Muslim Matters allowing such an article to be published.

1. Who said they were innocent? I said they should be tried.
2. Who said Islam was innocent of criticism? All religions deserve scrutiny. Remember when Catholics burned people for bathing on Thursdays, just in case they were getting ready for Jummah?
3. It’s Islamophobia to assume their guilt because they’re Muslim. Again, try them in court.

@muhammad and Fabyo. First impression was to reply to the both of you with the harshest of words but then that’s not what my religion, islam preaches. It doesn’t tech me to turn the other cheek but to treat one who treats you wrong in a better way, perhaps one day, we’ll make up. First, before you speak of anything, be sincere in your research. Here from both sides and get your facts right. Second, I believe you remember Hitler, was he muslim. I’m African and when I hear slavery stories , I’m sick to my stomach,but that doesn’t make me hate Europeans in the least. Why? Because I can’t transfer hate to those who didn’t commit the crime. In the same vein, do not blame Islam and Muslims for what SOME extremists do. Its a simple matter, anubody who does wrong, muslim, christian, budhist etc, should have a fair trial and released or jailed thereafter. Look up the meaning of terrorism, go back to your history books and find out who indeed the chief terrorists are, muslims or otherwisem. Finally, Muhammed, O Muhammed! Can you kindly give me an evidence for your statement that the Prophet claims terrorism for the early succes of islam. I dare you to provide proof for that. May Allah forgive us all

Thank you for your comment but I have a few problems with some of the things you say and present as fact. First up the God you worship is not the same as the Christian one true God. Your religion is headed by your revered messenger Muhammad who was a pedophile. Married a 6 year old girl Aisha and then bedded her at 9. Nothing you can do or say will change that fact. It was wrong then and its wrong now. The Bible on the other hand teaches love and peace while the koran teaches murder and mayhem. Where ever there are Muslims in number there is anger, hatred and violence……fact. Why is that. The USA was founded on Christian principles not on Islamic barbarism and you should be proud of that. Marine or not you should know better than to propose Islam is a religion of peace because the facts in 2015 say differently.

Kent,
Sounds like you’ve never actually read the Qur’an (or a rendering of its meaning) or history…or if you have read those, you’ve selectively read them. It also sounds as if you’ve engaged in a selective reading of the Bible, the “Old Testament” in particular, because it’s pretty bloody in some parts and replete with debauchery, some of which is attribute to the Prophets of God themselves unfortunately. Given this, I’m not sure what Ayesha’s age and her marriage to the Prophet Muhammad have to do with commonalities in theologies amongst the Abrahamic religons or with the miscarriages of justices in 2015 on our part. Applying your logic to a Christian context: because the Virgin Mary was supposedly 12 or 13 (maybe even younger, depending when she began mensing) when Jesus was concieved or when she betrothed and consummated her marriage to Joseph (probably, again, whenever she began mensing), Christian don’t worship the same God as Jews…even though marriage at this age was quite common in the ancient world and in Jewish customs in particular. Seems like a non sequitur to me.

In addition, applying your logic then, one might ask why is there so much violence wherever White Christians go or inhabit due to the fact that the majority of domestic terrorism done in America – historically and NOW – is in fact perpetratored by White Chrsitian conservatives, NOT Muslims or Black people or go down the list. And here, we aren’t even talking about international terrorism and the violation of human rights because of American foreign policy and intervention. To borrow and old adage, it’s like the pot calling the tea kettle black. Seems like you might what to check your facts and logic.

I would encourage you to put whatever biases you have aside and educate yourself a bit more. You don’t have to like Islam or the Prophet, but you also don’t have to engage in the intellectual bigotry. Peace.

So when the USA was founded on christian principles, what part of the bible came the commandment to kill and marginalise the natives. It is funny how you are horrified at what you call islamic barbarism but up hold the so called founding of the USA which involved an awful lot of barbarism itself.

The Bible doesn’t say to kill Indians but it does say…. Thou shalt not kill. Pretty simple really. What man does is another thing. Islam is a corrupt system which is so inward looking and so vile it even endorses lying when necessary with the infidel. The infidel is everyone who is not a Muslim. How on earth can you defend Islam and the Koran when the evidence is in and the civilized world grows to hate it.

I’m sure you meant Native Americans rather than that slur. The bible says lots of things of which one is thou shalt not kill, but of course there are all of the other parts of the bible that seem to be quite happy with the notion of killing. And then there are those christian principles of gun owning, and all the deaths that result from that,
Deuteronomy 17
If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which the LORD thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the LORD thy God, in transgressing his covenant; 17:3 And hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded; 17:4 And it be told thee, and thou hast heard of it, and enquired diligently, and, behold, it be true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought in Israel; 17:5 Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they die.
thou shalt not kill, except in the above case then it is fine.

To Nabeelah dec 3.. The old Mosaic law was set aside by God as aspects were designed to suit man and we all know man is flawed. Over 2000 years ago Jesus Christ came along with the new testament and the old Mosaic law was gone for the most part. The new testament is centered on love and there is no equivalent is Islam. Regarding Indians I am not an American and did not know you call them Native Americans so I apologize. As the world sinks into moral decay it is Islam which leads the charge into unbridled barbarism and who can deny that. Remember my country folk died in 9/11 too not just Americans. Woman are subjugated and sharia is pressing at our front door. Muslims around the world are mostly the third world poor who are often illiterate and never question the violent nature of Islam. To call it a religion of peace is to say that about Nazis.

Thank you and I can assure you I am led by my eyes and ears and by the deeds I see Muslims around the world doing daily. Where ever there are Muslims in number there is trouble, no exceptions. If you want to help yourselves stop fighting and stop trying to force sharia on us and top subjugating women and put aside your cruel barbaric practices. I beg you.

You need to stop invoking the name of Jesus because He was very clear when He stated that people who tell lies like you do and/or push an agenda of hatred like you do have rejected Him and embraced evil. The only people you’re fooling are those who like you don’t know anything factual about Christianity or Islam. You’re really no different than Daesh in that you read something on the internet and now you believe yourself an expert by being able to cite some cherry picked verses when in reality none of you know anything about the basic tenets of your self proclaimed faith.

Christianity never taught to burn people and so when you reflect on what the Catholics may have done are you saying because of that Islam and what it does is ok. A very weak and flawed argument argument. Its 2015 and there is no place for your barbaric religion except in third world countries where the poor cling on to hope at any cost. In that, Islam betrays its follows by promising all manner of things ridiculous. eg 72 virgins. Give me a break.

Oh dear what a convenient mix of logic. I will say it again its 2015 and Christianity is not based on a pedophile. Read the new testament and see that God intervened in the Mosaic law and sent Jesus Christ to redeem mankind but with love. There is absolutely no comparison with Islam and the koran. Note the be-headings, torture and killing of so many Christians in the middle east and elsewhere. Note the killing of innocent people in 9/11, England, Australia, France and so on. So you are an ex marine and you worship the false God of Islam and still profess to be a good American. I don’t think so.

@Kent “And among them are unlettered ones who do not know the Scripture except in wishful thinking, but they are only assuming.”(2.78)
“And We did certainly give Moses the Torah and followed up after him with messengers. And We gave Jesus, the son of Mary, clear proofs and supported him with the Pure Spirit. But is it [not] that every time a messenger came to you, [O Children of Israel], with what your souls did not desire, you were arrogant? And a party [of messengers] you denied and another party you killed.”(2.87)
“And We have certainly revealed to you verses [which are] clear proofs, and no one would deny them except the defiantly disobedient.”(2.99)
“Indeed, We have sent you, [O Muhammad], with the truth as a bringer of good tidings and a warner, and you will not be asked about the companions of Hellfire.”(2.119)

I am an American Muslim so I can tell you that in this community, we are NOT silent about Guantanamo or any other injustices committed against Muslims in this country. The media does not broadcast it but that does not mean it is not being said.

It is a fact, that ISIS, The Taliban and other such groups have murdered far more Muslims, than anybody else.

Now the inmates of Guantanamo Bay, are more likely to have the blood of Muslims on their hands than of anybody else. Also these same people, if released, would most likely kill many more Muslims than non Muslims.

So why would a Muslim, what these people released? Why would you call them innocent, when they have blood on their hands.

“Now the inmates of Guantanamo Bay, are more likely to have the blood of Muslims on their hands than of anybody else. Also these same people, if released, would most likely kill many more Muslims than non Muslims.”

Rubbish. Many, many of the inmates of Guantanamo Bay have been released on the basis that their imprisonment was a mistake, and they were not actually any kind of threat – to Muslims or non Muslims.

The latest case has been reported in today’s news:

“Man held at Guantánamo for 13 years a case of mistaken identity, say officials”

To Nabeelah dec 3.. The old Mosaic law was set aside by God as aspects were designed to suit man and we all know man is flawed. Over 2000 years ago Jesus Christ came along with the new testament and the old Mosaic law was gone for the most part. The new testament is centered on love and there is no equivalent is Islam. Regarding Indians I am not an American and did not know you call them Native Americans so I apologize. As the world sinks into moral decay it is Islam which leads the charge into unbridled barbarism and who can deny that. Remember my country folk died in 9/11 too not just Americans. Woman are subjugated and sharia is pressing at our front door. Muslims around the world are mostly the third world poor who are often illiterate and never question the violent nature of Islam. To call it a religion of peace is to say that about Nazis.

If the Mosaic law was made to suit man but was flawed, then it must hold that he who made it was flawed for setting these laws. This lawmaker then replaced these flawed laws with love. But the thing is that love is not really a set of laws. It does not define what to do with murderers and rapists and thieves. If you consider just love then you would hug the man who murders and forgive him, you would have no other choice. So you can’t really say the laws were removed by Christianity. Does Jesus say anywhere in the New Testament something to the effect of I have come to abolish the ten commandmants or the mosaic law? I am asking because I myself have not read the Old or the New Testament so it could just be that there is some statements that abolish the old shariah (or set of laws).

We as muslims believe that He who made the laws is not flawed. He is without any imperfections or defects. He has given laws and rules to govern your life by and these laws sometimes are beyond our comprehension but they are there for a reason. So the murderer would be condemned to die but it is the right of the heirs of the one killed to pardon him.

And Allah knows best.

*Comment above is posted in a personal capacity and may not reflect the official views of MuslimMatters or its staff*

Unlike your fellow Muslims you make some sense. I will not attempt to educate you in Christianity or the Bible as you can easily do that yourself. It is as i said and I appreciate the fact you say you have not read the bible as that is honest. Nonetheless if you did you would see a stark contrast between the koran the bible where love is the basis for Christianity. You circular argument about perfection is dubious and self fulfilling.

I would like to get educated on this particular point ie whether anywhere in bible it is written that Jesus (peace be upon him) said that he has abrogated what Moses (pbuh) and other Prophet (pbut) brought before.

Also it is very easy to just write off my argument of perfection of the Creator, the Sustainer (whom we refer to Allah and you as the Father) to be dubious and self-fulfilling. You need to tell me how this is flawed.

Best Regards
Aly

*Comment above is posted in a personal capacity and may not reflect the official views of MuslimMatters or its staff*

Thank you for the courteous response. However I suggest that you stop using the mechanical phrase PBUH. Its repetitive and just another symbol of the way in which Islam infiltrates the mind without thinking. Now to answer your question have a look at https://www.gci.org/law/sct06 It will get you started in any case. In general you are attempting to apply a very human circular self fulfilling argument about Gods perfection or otherwise which chooses to place my offering in a no win situation. Unfortunately for you I will not agree with your fundamental tenet.

*This comment was edited by the MM Comments Team in order to comply with our Comments Policy*

Let’s all make a pact guys, lets pretty much ignore this Kent Bayley person who has come onto a site ran by Muslims, that talks about Muslim issues, with the only intention of bashing Islam. Not only that, but her criticisms are completely off base and without any evidence other than what is sprouted by those dodgy media outlets about Islam being the root of all evil. If she came here with a respectful attitude ready to debate properly with people, that would be different.

And her position, supported by other commenters re: Guantanamo bay inmates pretty much deserving it, is abhorrent. You can’t have your cake and eat it. The people in Guantanamo bay are mere suspects. For many of them there is absolutely no evidence other than suspicion that they did something wrong. How can holding them without any civil liberties, in a hole and without any form of a trial be right? I thought you said you were Christian? Where precisely is your sense of justice? Isn’t America supposed to be the bedrock of freedom? Many of the people in Guantanamo bay, most notably for us across the pond, Babar Ahmad, have been released without charge. He was in for over a decade and no court in either the UK or the US has ever had any evidence to charge him, let alone actually try him. How can’t that be right?

“Many of the people in Guantanamo bay, most notably for us across the pond, Babar Ahmad, have been released without charge. He was in for over a decade and no court in either the UK or the US has ever had any evidence to charge him, let alone actually try him.”
Actually the truth is this “gentleman” was founritish people d in an area under highly dubious circumstances Under western standards of law it was probably very difficult to prove he or the other inmates are guilty but there is a hell a lot doubt that he was an innocent just caught in the wrong place. He and his family have been living off the welfare of the British people for a damn long time now. Not bad for a person who is not even a British citizen !

He pleaded guilty, of being in possession of classified intelligence on the the position of the US 7th Fleet.

He was never innocent, the reason he was released was he received a lesser term due to pleading guilty, and the Judge was convinced he had no plans to use the information. He was never an inmate of Guantanamo Bay.

This took me 30 seconds to find on google.

So you are either ignorant or lazy. Please get off your high horse, and stop posting propaganda, that has no basis in fact.

Was Gitmo bay built for moslems? DO we have just moslems in there? I think you people look around for bitterness and personalize it. Guantanamo Bay is a prison opened for extreme prisoners and drug lord! If any one wether muslim of christian fits the profile I just described, then I think they deserve to be there. You guys should try and divert your resources into advising your members to be peaceful and law abiding instead of spreading and promoting hate. Allahu Akbar!

I have never read anything more insane! You start a war with us then complain that you are mistreated in our prison! We don’t go to your country and start trouble with you but we will end it!!!! Stay where you belong don’t come here! You are not welcome!

To “Peter” You did not allow me a right of reply in yours. You are right I honestly did make the mistake of accusing the wrong person the person I was referring to is a man by the name of Shaker Aamer who is the gentleman classed as a British resident but from Saudi Arabia who was grabbed by bounty hunters in Afghanistan and handed over to the Americans Naturally he always claimed he was innocent and due to the strict rules on trying to prove he is as he claims evidence was hard to come by. There is still a great deal of conjecture of just how innocent he was. His latest admission that he could have been in Bid Laden’s house but didn’t meet him only begs the question of just how innocent he is. In the meantime his family have lived nicely of the welfare contributed totally by the British Taxpayer. The name was wrong and you can rightly claim I was lazy in not confirming who I was attacking but I and so many many Brits are fed up to our eye teeth of having large groups of foreigners living and abusing our welfare and hospitality with total disdain for us or our nation. So I will not get off my high horse at all because like the vast majority of Brits I want my country back and I demand that the people who are allowed in obey OUR laws, accept our ways are ours and STOP trying their culture on our society Aamer is just another example of how the decency of our nation is being abused just as those 2 animals showed in California to the Americans. And finally Aamer is a Saudi citizen NOT a British citizen but our moronic government were the ones who were demanding his release from Guantanamo why would we do that when it is a Saudi problem and not ours?

I never forbade your right of reply. i do not like monologs, the only way to learn is an exchange of ideas. I do not view the 2 terrorists in California as crazy, I would prefer to label them as evil and stupid.

I do not view all Muslims as Crazy, or Evil or Stupid. However, just like nazism hyjacked the German people in the years before and during WW2, Fundamentalist Islam has hyjacked Islam.

They are able to do so, because the majority for all Muslims (6 out of 10) are ignorant and illiterate. The vast majority of Muslims are good people who are let down by an Ideology that allows them to be slaughtered by their fellow Muslims, like sheep to the slaughter. That until there is a reformation within Islam, non Muslims of this world will continue to react to the actions of the fundamentalist Islamists, and the people getting killed are those in the Middle, the average Muslim. the only people who can stop this insanity are the average Muslim.